Connectedness
by sadeyedsun
Summary: After Sasuke leaves on his mission once more, Sakura is on her own again and must endure the strain of raising their daughter alone. One night in a drunken haze, she makes a call to Naruto, but quickly hangs up out of shame. Naruto worries about her, and goes to see her. It all blossoms from there. Post-700 NaruSaku fic. Will contain some smut/fluff.
1. A Friend to Lean On

He knocked on the door, only to find it swing slightly ajar. "Sakura?" Naruto called. "Sakura, are you here?" Slowly, he made his way into the empty house, tip-toeing lightly as not to disturb anything. He spotted her on the couch. A half-empty bottle of sake sat on the coffee table. She was curled up into the cushions, facing away from him. "Sakura, that is you, isn't it?" The tired kunoichi sluggishly nodded her head. She grasped to her glass tighter, and sank further into herself. The house was filled with uneasiness; a ripple of sadness lingered in the air. He slowly made his way to her. "Sakura," he whispered, "What are you doing? Are you drunk?" She held her glass even tighter, feeling the disappointment in his voice. He approached the couch to get a better look at her. It was worse than he thought.

"W-what is this? What if Sarada were to see you like this?"

"She's staying the night at Chouchou's," Sakura replied bluntly. She raised her glass to force down another sip. "She's not here."

Naruto carefully lowered himself down next to her. This wasn't Sakura as he usually saw her: energetic, bubbly, kind. Her energy was dark. Cold. It worried him very much.

"What's the matter? What's going on?"

Sakura remained silent. She stared blankly into her glass, trying desperately to avoid Naruto's questioning. But he was persistent. He gingerly rubbed her back, attempting to comfort her. He hoped that his warmth could help her to open up. It had always pained Naruto more than anything to see Sakura in distress. "W-w…" Sakura softly whimpered. Naruto gave her his ear. "Hm? What was that?"

"W-would… you just… sit here with me… for a while?"

"Of course."

"….Thank you."

…..

Twenty minutes had passed since Naruto found Sakura. He continued to rub her back, stroke her hair. Periodically he would hear her sipping. Suddenly, he felt her body begin to shimmer, which quickly gave way to dramatic convulsions.

"Sakura, are y—"

" _I just can't_ _ **stand**_ _being so alone all the time!_ " Sakura cried. Naruto jolted his hand back as Sakura shrunk even further into herself. The tears stung her eyes, and steadily flowed down her cheeks, pitter-pattering onto her shirt. Moans and wails clung to the back of her throat, desperate to be let out, and held back only by her frantic attempts to suppress her sadness. He repositioned himself on the couch and swiftly held her arms in his hands. Sakura lifted her head to glance at him; his eyes were filled with an immense amount of concern. He struggled to find words to say. Her tears kept coming, but had calmed enough to speak.

"He's been gone for so long, Naruto…"

"Oh…" Naruto whispered. "You mean Sasuke…"

Sakura's face contorted at the very mention of his name, the tears lingering in her eyes dripped onto him. Naruto let go of her arms, and held his open. He gestured to her if it was all right if he hugged her. She wiped her eyes with her knuckles, and gently reached for Naruto.

"Take a deep breath. Just breathe. It's okay… I've got you."

She caressed her head in the nook of his neck, calming down. She blinked the last of her tears from her eyes and allowed her breathing to return to a steady pace, with an occasional hiccup and sniffle. He again rubbed her back quietly, and delicately held a hand to the back of her head. Between her strands of hair, she felt his fingers gently massage her scalp. Muffled by his shirt, Sakura faintly whispered.

"She's getting so big now."

"Who, Sarada?"

"Yes… she asks about him constantly. 'Papa' this, 'papa' that. I think she worries that he doesn't love us."

Naruto pulled her in a little tighter. Chest to chest, she felt their hearts beating together. A constant and connected _thump, thump_ between them.

"Sometimes… I worry he doesn't love us."

"Of course he does. Just because he's not here now, doesn't mean he won't be soon. Besides…" he began, "Your hearts are connected, aren't they? Your emotions, your feelings?" She went silent again. There was an ache in her heart that she had not felt in quite some time. Thinking quietly about it, Naruto began to feel panicked. He was afraid of what she might say.

"I think we're connected," she mumbled. "But… now, I feel connected to him like… the wind. It changes day by day. Sometimes it's there, and sometimes it isn't. Sometimes it's as strong, and sometimes it isn't" She pulled away from Naruto, meeting his gaze and putting her hands in his.

Her eyes were swollen and bloodshot; a cloud of red encapsulating her perfect emerald eyes. Her cheeks were stained with salty tears, and her nose as red as her dress. Her smile was halfway between euphoria and misery. He couldn't look away from her, and softly cupped her cheek in his hand.

"But," she breathed, "My love for you is like the earth beneath my feet. It's strong, and unshakable." She paused to blink away oncoming tears. "It's always there when I need it."

The two friends stared into each other. They had become such different people than when they were genin fresh out of the academy. They were adults now. Both promised to another, with children of their own. A pang of melancholy cut through the air.

"It took me a long time to realize what my love for you meant, Naruto."

The room was cast in darkness. The only light in the room was the glimmer of moonlight that shone through the window. Sakura and Naruto bowed their heads, hands gripped to the others' shoulders, foreheads resting on each other.

"I'll always love you, Sakura." Naruto's voice wavered with remorse .

"I love you too, Naruto."

Naruto lightly smiled.

"But I'm so glad that you're my friend."


	2. Ichiraku Ramen

"Huh?"

"I said I'd like to take you out to dinner!"

"But why?"

"I want to spend time with you! And I'd also like to get you out of that damn house!"

Sakura held the phone to her ear with her shoulder as she finished hanging the last of the laundry. "Hmm… I don't know, I have so much to do around the house, and who will watch Sarada? I can't very well leave her by herself," she flippantly replied, chucking a towel onto the line. She searched for other reasons to turn him down, but had run out of any that Naruto would actually believe.

"Nonsense!" Naruto exclaimed, kicking his feet up on his desk. It had been a couple of days since her alcohol-addled episode, and he wanted to help take her mind off things. "It's not like we'd be gone all night, and Sarada is perfectly capable of spending a couple hours by herself. She might enjoy it, actually," he quipped. He knew Sarada, although still very young, to be a greatly independent girl; Sakura knew this just as well.

"But what if she needs me?"

"Can she not call you if need be?"

Sakura remained silent. She knew the chances of anything going wrong were incredibly slim.

"C'mon. When was the last time you went out and had any fun?"

Sakura sighed, having accepted defeat. Knowing Naruto, obstacles only made him more persistent. He'd pick her up and drag her out if he wanted to. She begrudgingly gave in.

"Okay. I'll go out with you tonight."

Naruto roared excitedly. "Great! I'll see you at eight-ttebayo!"

…

"I hope you don't mind, Hinata," Naruto apologized. She grabbed his jacket and helped him slip his hands into the sleeves. "Oh, I don't mind at all!" Hinata cheerfully said. "I think it's nice that you're there for her while she's by herself. I couldn't imagine… being alone for so long. No letters, no phone calls, no nothing. It's sad…" Hinata turned Naruto around to straighten out the creases in his clothes, giving him a final look-over, patting the air out of his pockets. "There you go!"

"Do I look okay?"

"You look very handsome," Hinata giggled. "Thank you," Naruto smiled, and bent down to peck a kiss onto his wife's cheek. "I'll be home in a couple hours, say goodnight to Bolt and Himawari for me!" he said, hurriedly rushing out the door. "Okay," Hinata said, "I love you!" She had heard him yell a muffled " _love you too!"_ through the door he swung closed.

…

Sakura stood dejectedly in front of her mirror. She modeled her dress every which way to find an angle that she liked, but to no avail. "You look very pretty, mama." Sakura swiftly turned on the ball of her heel to find Sarada lingering in the doorway. She smiled faintly while twiddling with her buttons, having waited some time for her mother to naturally notice her. "Oh! Sarada, I didn't even see you there," Sakura murmured, averting her attention back to the mirror. "Are you sure you're all right with me going out for a while?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

"Okay. If you need me, call me right away."

"Mama, I'll be just fine. Please don't spend all night thinking about me," she coyly smirked. Sakura turned around again, and looked at her daughter with uneasiness. Sarada dug her foot into the carpet, and looked away from her mother. It made it easier to tell her the truth without her sad expression glaring back at her. "I've… noticed you haven't been very happy lately," she mumbled, "and it makes me sad to see you like that… I'd like for you to be happy." She looked up to see her mother's glossy eyes glued to her. Sakura rushed over to the doorway, and wrapped her arms around her daughter. She rested her head on her tiny shoulders and squeezed as much love into her teeny body as she possibly could. "Mama! Too… tight!" Sarada gasped. She seized up in her mother's embrace, as she wasn't even able to return the hug due to her arms being pinned to her sides. She could not compete with her mother's inhuman strength. "Whoops!" Sakura snipped, releasing Sarada. "I get a little carried away with you sometimes!"

They both looked down the hall at the sound of a musical knock on the door. Sakura heaved herself back up and sighed, "That must be him." Sarada ran to the door to answer it while her mother rushed to finish getting ready. Naruto stood outside and watched the door swing open, but saw no one in sight. "Hello, Seventh," he heard a voice say, and looked down to see Sarada grinning happily to see him. "Oh, hello Sarada! It's been a while since I saw you last. How're things at the academy going?" Sarada stood tall, beaming with pride at the opportunity to brag about herself to the Hokage. "It's going very well. I'm excited for the chuunin exams!" she gleamed. Naruto smirked and tussled her hair. "Knowing you, you're going to do great." He tilted his head to glance down the hall, seeing the only light beam from the bedroom. "Is your mother—"

"Mama is still getting—"

"Ready!" Sakura shouted, bounding down the hall. Her hair bounced wildly against her shoulders as she hopped on one foot to adjust her shoe. She stumbled into the doorway and caught herself on the wall. She shot up to look into Naruto's wide eyes. "Sakura… you look wonderful," Naruto gushed, turning slightly red in the face. Sakura shyly bowed her head aside, smiling widely. "Thank you, Naruto! You look very nice too," Sakura spoke. Sarada rolled her eyes and turned around to leave. Sakura leaned over and gave her a small peck on the cheek, "Make sure you lock the door. And don't forget to brush your teeth. I love you, Salad," she muffled into her daughter's ear. Sarada smiled, "I love you too, Mama." She shut the door behind her. "You ready?" Naruto asked, offering out his arm for her to take. Sakura happily wrapped her arm around his.

They walked briskly down the street. A warm, gentle breeze flew through the air, carrying cherry blossoms around the village. The streets were lit with the tepid glow of lanterns and lamps that hung on the fronts of the various stores and shops, and the sweet and savory scents of the village's bustling restaurants flew through the air. Sakura gripped to Naruto's arm a little tighter. "So… where are we going?" she asked, scanning over the crowded cafes and bars. Naruto snickered happily, "Where else would we be going? Ichiraku's ramen shop!" Sakura shook her head, chuckling to herself. "Y'know, that actually sounds pretty good right now."

…

Two hot bowls sat between them, beckoning to be eaten. Naruto quickly snapped his chopsticks apart, and excitedly dove into his noodles. Sakura watched him happily slurped away, and modestly began to eat herself. His cheeks puffed out, full of noodles, and a small drip of broth ran down the sides of his mouth. It was like looking directly into the past; the only difference was that now Naruto would use a napkin instead of his sleeve. He let out a long, satisfied sigh.

"So… how's being Hokage going?"

"Busy, but I'm happy. More paperwork than I know what to do with, but hey."

"How are the kids?"

"Good! Boruto's a handful—"

"Quite a bit like a certain someone I know, hmm?"

"Ha, very funny. I wish I was home a little more, but they're doing well. Himawari's gotten so big lately, she's starting to outgrow her favorite sweater."

"The yellow one with the flower on the pocket?"

"Yeah, that's the one. Actually, didn't you get that for her birthday a while back?"

"I think so, I can't remember."

"How's Sarada?"

"She's all right, but it's been hard to get her to open up lately. She's been so detached."

"Like a certain someone I know."

"She really is just like her father. I think she's still having trouble adjusting to him being gone."

"What was it like when he came back?"

"Oh, it was really nice. I missed him a lot, and I think he was really happy to see Sarada again. I just wish…"

"…Wish what?"

"I just wish that he wouldn't stay gone for so long. I understand his mission, but it's just so difficult having him away for years at a time."

Naruto sympathetically laid his hand on top of hers.

"I'm so sorry, Sakura."

"It's okay, Naruto. It's not your fault."

Sakura stared at her hands, lost in thought. The warmth of Naruto's hands was comforting, but she still felt the twinge of pain in her heart at the mention of Sasuke's absence. Naruto worried for her. But she swiftly shook her head, and smiled widely.

"It's not all bad, though! Since it's just Sarada and I, we get to spend so much time together. Other kids her age think their parents are the worst, but Sarada loves me. She can be moody as all hell, but she always comes back to her mother!"

Naruto gazed at Sakura. Her seafoam green eyes glowed radiantly, and her cheeks were as rosy as her hair. It relieved him immensely to see his friend as he knew her best.

"Well, that's great. I'm really glad to hear that, Sakura."

"Thank you. Oh, by the way, did you hear about what happened to Sai and Ino at the hot springs the other day?"

"No, what'd they do?"

"Oh, you're going to _love_ this."

…

They strolled down the street while Sakura blissfully nibbled at a dango skewer. Naruto's hand hung listlessly from her shoulder, keeping her close by his side. "Thank you, by the way," Sakura quipped. Naruto laughed, "I know how much you like your sweets." She grinned delicately, and leaned harder into his side. Sakura spoke in a hushed tone, "Thank you for taking me out tonight."

"Did you have a nice time?"

"Yeah, I did. I forgot how much fun it is to hang out with you."

Naruto playfully jostled her shoulder. "We should try to go out more often, just you and me." They approached a bench under a tree and calmly sat down, idly lounging in the moonlight. It was late enough in the night that they could be alone and unbothered. Sakura swallowed the last of her dango, and swiveled to face Naruto.

"Wouldn't you rather hang out with Hinata?"

"Honestly… things between Hinata and I aren't great. I mean I love her, don't get me wrong, but I feel like she's never being totally honest with me about how she feels. She never gets angry or confronts me about anything, even if I know that it's irritating her. When I know I deserve to be yelled at."

"Oh, if I was your wife, you wouldn't get away with half of what you try to pull with Hinata. You'd get a swift kick in the head!"

Naruto quietly sneered, "That's definitely true."

"…What kind of wife do you think I would be to you?"

"I think you'd be the kind of wife you are now."

"And that is?"

"Kind. Gentle. Loving. The kind of wife you are is the same as the kind of person you are."

Sakura blushed as Naruto listed other glowing adjectives to describe her. She bashfully bowed her head, and he timidly grazed her cheek with his fingers.

"Sometimes I wish I was your wife. Sasuke is nowhere near as affectionate as you are with Hinata."

"Well… sometimes I wish you were my wife."

Sakura's breath spiked at Naruto's confession. She glimpsed at Naruto through the corner of her eye, and felt the weight of his words truly hit her. _Did I hear him right? Did he just say he wishes I was his wife?_ She turned her head to face him, brow furrowed and eyes sympathetic, waiting for him to say something else. The tension between them was as palpable as the day was long and the night was dark. His face went red with embarrassment. Feeling the pressure of her stare, he averted his eyes and nervously twiddled his thumbs. "I mean," he stammered, "I just mean that I've always—"

"Naruto," Sakura interrupted, "Be honest. Are you really still in love me?"

He shifted uncomfortably on the bench, tensely rubbing the back of his neck. Another mess caused all because he couldn't keep his mouth shut. But he couldn't lie to her.

"… Yes."

"Oh, thank god," she whispered, voice rife with relief.

"Huh?"

Sakura felt the tears coating her eyes.

"Because… I think I really love you too."

Naruto's eyes grew immensely. His heart fluttered at the sound of Sakura's acceptance, and reciprocation, of his long-held adoration. The tip of her nose was as red as her eyes, and tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. But her smile was as big as the sun. And so was his.

They gracefully leaned toward each other. Naruto coyly moved a piece of her bangs behind her ear, and let his hand linger near her jaw. The wind sent shivers up Sakura's spine, and it helped her abandon any apprehension she secretly held onto. As they were so close, Naruto noticed all the hidden details of her face: the somber bags under her eyes caused by years of crying and worrying for him. A small gaggle of freckles that lined her cheeks and hilled across her nose. The buried sadness that still clung to the depths of her irises. Placing her hand on his shoulder, she faintly pressed her lips to his, and the warmth of his mouth took her by surprise. Naruto tried to stifle his giggling. "What's so funny?" Sakura demanded, pulling away. "Nothing, it's just that your lips are so sweet from that dango!" The two of them snickered absurdly.

"Hey, how about we go somewhere a little more private?"

"B-but it's so late? And what about Sarada?"

"It's almost eleven o'clock, she's definitely asleep. She'll be okay."

Sakura thought on this for a moment.

"But where would we go?"

"I know just the place," Naruto muttered, as he and Sakura rushed off into the night.


	3. The Hokage's Desk

**_This chapter contains smut! I tried my best to avoid clichés and any cheesy euphemisms. This is my first time writing a sex scene, so I would greatly appreciate critiques/feedback._**

 _ **Thanks for reading! xoxo**_

* * *

"You lock the door?"

"I have to. The kids love coming in here and messing with my things, especially Himawari. Last time she took my wallet out of the desk and threw it straight out the window."

They quietly crept into his office.

"But… where would we…uh… y'know…"

Naruto quickly glanced around the room, desperate to find a place where he could lay her down. The only spot was his desk, but he was reluctant to use it, as he had just organized all his papers to be filled and filed like Shikamaru had asked him. But, in the heat of the moment, he couldn't care; he laid down his forearm and struck the contents of the top of his desk onto the floor. Naruto turned around to see Sakura smiling devilishly. "Ooh, so cliché," she teased. He swiftly grabbed her by the arm and thrust her onto his desk. The smirk disappeared from her face. Even Sakura was surprised by Naruto's abruptness. He towered over her, keenly grinning from ear to ear. Sakura blushed frantically.

He buried himself directly into her neck, immediately pressing his soft lips to her. Adrenaline coursed through Sakura's body, and her entire being prickled with the white-hot heat of both fear and excitement. In between his kisses, she felt his teeth nibbling meticulously at her skin. Her body shuddered at his quick nips, and she let out a high-pitched moan. "Does that feel good?" Naruto muttered, face still pressed to her neck. Sakura giggled, and nodded her head. He passionately sighed, and slowly glided his tongue down to her collarbone. His path of saliva warmed her, and Sakura cooed with delight; she fiddled with the buttons on Naruto's shirt, holding back the urge to simply rip it off, and helped guide the sleeves off of his arms as it dropped to the floor. Her hands lovingly stroked the outlines of his wiry and well-defined chest, and dawdled around his shoulders. He gradually trailed his kisses from her neck back to her lips. Their lips parted fumblingly with Naruto's overlapping hers. Sakura's eyes were half-lidded, drowsy with desire, and she rested her hands around the nape of his neck.

Her lips were sweet and sticky and wet and warm and _Oh_ _God_ , he thought, _oh_ _my_ _God,_ _I_ _love_ _her, I love her lips and her eyes and her hands and her, I love her, I love her, I love her._ He loosely held her chin in his grip, grazing his thumb just below her bottom lip. Their tongues hastily intertwined, his tracing ever so slightly over her teeth, their lips smacking together in harmony. He gingerly bit her bottom lip, and her breath was fast and strained. Exhilaration pulsed through her, and writhing with anticipation, goosebumps raced across her skin. Her smooth, supple lips were driving Naruto mad, and he grew hungry for more. He hesitantly pulled away from her, saliva suspended from his bottom lip, as his fingers crept under her dress and cupped her modest breast. He twiddled with the snaps of her dress, becoming increasingly frustrated at how they were proving to be stronger than he thought. Growing more impatient by the second, Naruto cursed under his breath, and looked up to see Sakura snickering. "How… the hell…do you get these…to...come…off?!" he grumbled. "Here," she pined, "Let me help you." Flipping her hair to the side, she leaned slightly off the desk and effortlessly clipped her dress apart. "There you go."

The folds of her dress drifted to either side of her, and Naruto gazed at her bare chest. Still caressing her breast in his hand, he lightly grazed his thumb across her nipple, smiling giddily to himself. Sakura began to feel slightly self-conscious, and turned her head away in embarrassment. "What's wrong?" he asked worriedly. "Do you want to stop?"

"N-no! It's not that! I just…"

"Just what?"

"Well… I just… my body has never been the same since I had Sarada. I'm covered in stretchmarks, and my breasts aren't as firm. And I know that I'm not like Hinata. She's so much… bigger than me, she's more feminine, she's—"

"Sakura," Naruto whispered delicately, "You are so beautiful, just as you are. You know that, don't you?"

Sakura's face was flush with bashfulness, and a wide grin ran across her face. "I do now," she mewed, guiding his head lower down toward her. He tenderly kneaded both her breasts in his hands, and circled his tongue around her nipple, his tongue gently slipping over the bumps of her areolas. The fragrance of her perfume, hydrangeas and roses, tickled his nose and lingered in his brain. With his hands guiding him toward her hips, Naruto traced his lips down to just above her underwear, feeling a twinge of excitement. Once in a comfortable position, he grabbed her legs and parted them, resting one of them on his shoulder, and vivaciously kissed the inside of her thigh. "Geez Naruto, how long are you going to keep me waiting?" Sakura teased. He let out a quick snicker, "Not much longer." His fingers wrapped themselves around the edges of her underwear and tore the fabric down her legs. Fine pink hairs rubbed against his whiskers, and Sakura's body briefly tensed and relaxed. Slowly, she felt his tongue envelop her soft, plump labia. Her moans filled the room, one after the other, alternating between breathy panting and low-toned groans, gripping at the sides of his desk. It had been so long since she had the physical attention she yearned for, and her mind raced.

 _I hope Sarada was able to get to sleep just fine. It usually takes her awhile. I wonder if she tried to call me? She already had dinner when I left, and there's food in the fridge, so I'm sure she's not starving or anything. God, I shouldn't be doing this, I should be at home with her_. Despite her passion, she found herself unable to relax, and was doing exactly what her daughter had told her not to. She jostled her head, electing to focus on herself for this moment, however brief it may be. Her hands searched for him in the blackness, and she eagerly gripped a fistful of his hair. Blood rushed from his head to his lap, and he felt himself swelling against the zipper of his pants. In between his sultry gasps, Naruto calmly slid two of fingers inside her. He arched his head upward and delicately circled her clit with his tongue, applying just the right amount of pressure to make Sakura howl with pleasure. He sneered at Sakura's body contorting, and settled his free hand on her stomach to keep her still. His focus had calmed him, and he casually closed his eyes. For once, all of his attention was focused on just one thing: Sakura. His fingers glided effortlessly, heavily coated with her sticky, luscious nectar. "Naruto," she moaned, "I can't wait any longer."

She angled her head up off the desk, and glanced over herself to see Naruto's eyes peeking from above her and looking at her inquisitively. She thought on all the times she's seen him make that exact face—one brow raised, one furrowed, and his trademark pout—and let out a laugh, "I don't want to waste any more time than I already have." Naruto grinned, and helped ease her leg off his shoulder to rise. She admired him as he stood before her. Faint glimmers of luminescence peered through the blinds, painted across his face and forearms, and lightly illuminated the scars that littered his skin. She stared at his eyes, every swirl of blue like an ocean wave collapsing on another. His smile was reminiscent of the fire in his blood. She had lost herself staring at the man before her.

The sound of his pants collapsing to the floor jolted her back to her senses. He grabbed her by the hips and pulled her closer to the edge of the desk, laying a hand down next to her side. Naruto bent over just a bit, and whispered, "Ready?" She let out a sensual hum of _Mhmm,_ and adjusted to make herself tenderly eased himself inside her, Sakura squeaking with delight, and felt her muscles contracting around his erection. The night had yielded him an immense sense of guilt, and even more confusion, that continued to build inside him; all were lost in this moment of pure pleasure. The same sensation occurred as he conscientiously pulled out, finding himself warmed by her wetness. He was eager to dive back in. His motions were a slow push and pull, and he gazed longingly at Sakura as she melted in front of him: arms layered above her head, eyes like crescent moons, hips rolling along, a most soft and loving expression on her face. Sporadic purrs of satisfaction rumbled from behind her lips.

As he quickened his pace, he leaned lower over her, gazing intensely into her eyes. With every pump, Sakura let the air in her lungs slip through her lips. She felt the blood rushing to her face and pooling in her cheeks, feeling almost feverishly hot. Her angular fingers crept up to his shoulders, nails dragging against his glistening skin, eventually running wildly through his hair. His hips gyrated routinely against his desk, with a loud _thud_ , _thud_ , _thud,_ reverberating through the silent office. His eyelids hung low, baring his teeth, concentrating on pleasing her as well as he could. Tiny beads of sweat raced down the side of his face, lining along his neck. He laid his face to her chest, dragging his kisses over every inch of her in a vain attempt to soak up every ounce of sweetness in her skin. In the crook of her neck he found his relief, gnawing ferociously just below her jaw. His hands began to wander, with one slipping beneath her and cradling her head, and the other slithering between their bodies to massage her swollen clitoris. Sakura's head jerked, yelping from deep in her throat. Her breath spiked, whimpering in bliss, and she gripped to Naruto even tighter. He thrust into her vigorously, muffling his grunts in her skin. Her hums and moans quickly became deeper, coarser, shorter; his hand crept up the side of the desk, and laid his head on her shoulder, breathing deeply into her ear.

Chest to chest, their hearts were beating with the same breakneck momentum. His fingers expertly caressed her clit, unrelenting in his motions. Sakura felt the same fervent pang of heat suffuse throughout her body, followed by another, and another. All at once, a tempestuous thread of euphoria shot through her legs, curling every toe, a fire that bloomed and radiated in her chest and below her belly; she couldn't contain the cry that rose from the back of her throat, as she thrashed, and dissolved, underneath him. Hearing her whimper enticed him. His lips made his way back to hers, helping to subdue her. Their lips lazily stumbled against each other, Sakura's mouth agape to gasp as much air as possible. Naruto felt her breathy sighs, and affectionately stroked her hair. The muscles in his pelvis contracted, and he ached for release. His knuckles went white as he gripped his desk, while Sakura blithely whispered in his ear, _"Naruto… Naruto."_ He winced, and sharply drew in a gust of breath. In one solitary burst of vigor, and a moment of clarity, he was overwhelmed with bliss and contentment. His body shuddered, a line of cold shivers darting up his back. Tired, and feeling rather vulnerable, he finally relaxed, and eased himself on top of Sakura. Through their panting, they attentively turned to each other, and pressed their foreheads together; both were unable to think of any place they would rather be.

…

They laid together in the shadows, nestled in each other's embrace. Rhythmically rising and falling, their breathing slowly began to return to its normal rate. Streams of light shimmered off of their clammy bodies. Sakura adoringly showered his head with soft, dainty kisses, as she brushed her fingers through his hair.

"Naruto?"

"…Yeah?"

"Thank you. It's been so long since I've had that kind of affection."

They absentmindedly rested in the dark.

"…Sakura?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"…For letting me see you naked."

She playfully smacked him on the head.

"Shut up, you idiot."

Naruto faintly smiled.

"I love you too, Sakura."


	4. Movie Night

They slept soundly on the floor, leaning against the side of the desk. Naruto's arms were draped loosely around Sakura, who was situated between his legs. Her head leaned against his chest, rising slowly to the rhythm of his breathing. The abnormally loud rustling of some leaves outside caused her to lazily blink her eyes open. It took her a moment to realize where she was, and to realize she was still nude. Their clothes were haphazardly packed in a pile on the floor, but the warmth of his body was all that she needed. Stretching her legs, she eased out of Naruto's hold as delicately as she could. Her hands searched along the floor looking for her dress. A faint glare shone through the pocket, quickly grabbing it, while squinting at the light. "Naruto!" She hushed, "Wake up! It's almost five in the morning!"

"Hn…wha—"

"Hey, hey, hey! You have to get up!"

"I-I think I'm just going to stay here for a while."

"What about Hinata? Won't she notice you're still gone?"

"…I'll just tell her I came home late and went to work early."

As Sakura scrambled to get her clothes on, Naruto lazily rose from the floor. "I have to get home," she rushed, "I have to leave now."

"Do you want me to walk you back?"

"…That's probably not the best idea."

Naruto thought on this obliviously, the gears in his head at a full halt. Realizing the implication of the Hokage walking a former love interest to her home early in the morning from his office, he stammered, "Oh, oh yeah, yeah, you're right," while nodding his head in understanding. Even he was surprised by his own stupidity. As she made her way toward the door, Naruto reached for her hand. "Sakura, before you go," his voice trailing off, "I would really like to—"

"Naruto…how about you come over tonight so we can talk. If you have the time, that is." His eyes briefly flickered with heartache, but it disappeared with a shake of his head. "I always have time for you." Sharing one final glance, their hands reluctantly parted, and she quietly disappeared through the door.

The morning air was chill and humid, and the sparse remains of moonlight glowed on the street. It was early enough in the morning that none of the shops were open, and none of the civilians were awake. She rested easy knowing her walk would be relatively suspicion-free. She tried her hardest to think of anything other than Naruto, but it seemed to be impossible. It was hard to believe the same annoying, hyperactive knucklehead who was dead-last at the academy became the capable, honorable, and heroic man he was now. Her marriage to Sasuke was the ultimate testament of his love for her; Naruto never broke his promise to bring him back no matter what, even at the cost of his own safety or happiness. She laid a hand to her aching heart. She breathed his name to herself. _Naruto…Naruto…Naruto._ Her feet shuffled faster against the pavement, and she ducked her head lower toward the ground.

Sakura stood in front of the door, fingers barely wrapped round the knob. As she lifted her arm to unlock it, the wind jostled her keys, and she panicked to grip them quiet. She swung her head wildly in either direction to see if she had attracted any attention. The only thing that saw her was tiny spotted cat that hung around her house from time to time, and she sighed in relief. Paranoia was starting to get the best of her, and she was eager to get inside. She agonized over how best to make the least amount of noise. _I hope she's still asleep. She should be, it's so early. Please don't let her wake up, please. Oh god, what if she waited for me? What if she asks where I was? Damn, I don't even know what I would say. Please, just let her just be asleep!_ She drew a quick breath, inserted the key, and faintly turned the knob. Her eyes scanned the inside of the living room, looking for any sign that her analytical little girl was waiting to catch her. Easing the door closed behind her, shoes in hand, Sakura tiptoed into the house. The only sound she heard was the pounding in her chest, as she made a conscious effort to avoid the creakier floorboards. The minuscule squeak of a surprise panel jolted her, and she froze in a rather awkward position, heart just about ready to burst out of her chest. She ground her teeth, just waiting for Sarada to pop out and yell at her. Thankfully there was nothing but continued silence. With bated breath, she crept further into the house. She found Sarada's door was slightly ajar. She peered her head in, but was careful not to disturb a sound in her room. Black threads of hair were sprawled across her pillow, and her face was buried into her favorite stuffed bear. Sakura smiled lightly, and quietly backed away from the door, and made a couple more cautious steps down the hall. Once she crossed the threshold into her own bedroom she relaxed, and took in a deep breath as she discreetly shut the entrance closed. As she turned around, her eyes were fixated on the many Uchiha crests on the wall. Thinking of her husband, and the ring on her finger, she immediately began to feel ashamed. _I don't have the energy for_ _this_ _right_ _now_ she thought, and dragged herself over to her bed, sighing with both exhaustion and guilt. Collapsing on the cozy, comfy sheets soothed her, and she lazily crawled under them and pressed her head to the pillow. She took in one last deep breath, and slowly drifted to sleep.

"Mama?"

Sakura's eyes shot open a mile wide. She darted her head over her shoulders and found Sarada standing in the doorway. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, her daughter let out a small yawn. "Mama?" She asked, "Did you peek inside my room?" Sakura's mind took off running, and she found herself unable to formulate a cohesive answer. _Say_ _something,_ _you_ _idiot! She's staring right at you!_ "Uh…u-um, yeah, I did," she stammered. "I, uh, I woke up much earlier this morning, and I wanted to check on you to see if you were still asleep." Sarada nodded her head, and started walking toward her mother's bed.

"Did you make it to bed all right?"

"Yes, mama. I fell asleep by ten o'clock."

"Oh, that's good."

"Did you and the Seventh have a good night?"

"Uh, yeah, we did. We had a nice time."

"Well, I'm glad. Mama, can I sleep in your bed with you?"

"Did you have a bad dream?"

"No, I just want to be with you."

"Sure, sweetie."

Sakura lifted the sheets to her bed, and Sarada crawled inside. She noticed her mother was still wearing her outfit from the night before, but wrote it off as her simply being too tired to change. Her mother hugged her tightly, and she felt her mother nuzzle her face into her hair. For once, her father's absence no longer bothered her; her mother's warmth and love was all she needed.

…

The house was cast in darkness except for the luminous blue glow of their television set. Mother and daughter sat with their eyes widely and mindlessly glued to the film on the screen, shoveling handful after handful of popcorn into their mouths. Both of them directed their attention to the sound of a familiar knock at the door. "Hold on," Sakura whispered, as she cautiously navigated her way toward the front door. She slowly pulled it open, but her eyes were still mostly glued to the TV. "Hello, Sakura." Naruto's voice startled her, and she aimed her attention toward him. "Oh, Naruto, come in! Sarada and I were just watching a movie."

"Oh, I hope I'm not interrupting."

"No, no, no, it's fine!"

After flicking on the light switch, Sakura rushed to the coffee table and shut the TV off with the remote. "Oh no, c'mon! It was getting so good!" Sarada protested loudly. Sakura gestured apologetically. "I'm sorry Sarada, but I need to speak with the Seventh privately. Why don't you go outside and water the flowers for me?" Sarada rolled her eyes dramatically, and reluctantly grumbled toward the back door, as Sakura exclaimed after her, "I promise we'll finish it later!" Naruto chuckled. "Does she get the eye-rolling from you or Sasuke?" She let out a playful sight. "Honestly, that one can go either way."

They sat silently across from each other. Sakura nervously tapped her fingers against her cup of tea, searching her brain for the right words to begin with. "Sakura, I just want to get all of this out in the open."

"I do too. Because, quite frankly…I don't want it to end."

Naruto's cheeks went red, and he struggled to swallow. He had been fretting all day about having this discussion with her, but never imagined she could speak so bluntly about it. Of course, Sakura never was one to beat around the bush; that trait was only exacerbated by her time training under Tsunade. He met her gaze again, and felt the sorrow that hid behind her calm exterior. "Sakura…I thought that you were happy."

"I thought you were happy, too."

"What are you talking about? I am happy!"

She mockingly exhaled through her nose. "You can't be too happy if you would rather spend countless nights in your office instead of going home to your wife and children."

"Hey, it's not like I'm avoiding them. My job is difficult. I'm very busy."

"I don't think you're nearly as busy as you say you are. I know for a fact that Shikamaru ends up doing at least half of your paperwork himself. Temari has the mess of contracts and assignments on her coffee table to prove it."

Naruto dumbly twiddled his thumbs. He was busy, all right; keeping the peace was hard work. But she was right.

"More desk work than you were expecting, hmm?"

"Heh, quite a bit, yeah."

"That can't possibly be all you're doing, though. Especially since things have been so calm lately."

"I should be spending more time at home."

"Boruto and Himawari are going to be grown before you know it. You need to be around to see it."

"You're right, you're right. At least they have Hinata. She's a very good mother."

"I always thought that you two made a lovely couple."

"Yeah…I just…" Naruto frustratingly rubbed his hands against his face, struggling to appropriately articulate his very confusing feelings. How was it possible to contain such a strange, perplexing combination of emotions for someone? "I-I love Hinata, but…"

"But what?"

"But…nowhere near the same way that I love you."

He reached a hand across the table and laid it thoughtfully on top of hers. Her hand jerked at his touch, but she found the gesture consoling. In all the time she had known Naruto, having seen him endure much worse with a smile, it was hard to hear how shaken he was in his voice.

"That's…that's very much the way I feel about Sasuke."

"I had hoped that you two traveling together would have maybe warmed him up a bit."

"I mean, it did. We really took the time to understand each other. But, even then, he's just always so…distant. Even when we made love for the first time, he was just so unemotional. Like we were setting up camp or something."

"That's disappointing to hear."

"He loves Sarada, though."

"I would be disturbed if you told me otherwise."

"Sometimes I think he just doesn't feel anything toward me at all."

Her eyes fell away from Naruto, and she felt the tears hanging on her eyelashes. She pulled away from him, and covered her face with her hands. She couldn't bear the thought of having to make him watch her cry for the umpteenth time. Stifled sobs slipped through her fingers, and Naruto quickly rose from his chair, and made his way to her side of the table. "He's never even said 'I love you' to me." Naruto's ears pricked up at this bit of information. _That_ _can't_ _possibly_ _be_ _true_ , he thought. Every instant he had spent with Sasuke and Sakura ran through his head, and he recalled every moment in search of those three words. He felt a horrible sense of dread once he realized he couldn't think of a single occasion. Not even their wedding. Sakura's weeping cut straight through him, and he sensitively placed a hand on her shoulder. He spoke in a hushed tone, "I fought to bring Sasuke home because he's our friend. Our comrade. But I fought especially hard because I promised you I would. I fought because I thought he was who could make you happy." Sakura ran her fingers across her eyes, as she sniffled, "I thought he was too." He allowed her a moment of silence to collect herself, lightly patting her on back. Wiping her eyes on her wrist, she took in a few deep breathes, and casually sipped her lukewarm tea.

"I'm sorry. I wish I hadn't said all that."

"Please, don't apologize."

"Maybe I'm just being selfish. He feels he still has to atone, and if this is how he thinks he does it best, then I should support him, shouldn't I?"

"Not at the expense of what it's doing to you, Sakura. Or Sarada."

"Maybe my happiness shouldn't matter right now."

"Sakura, if anyone's deserving of some happiness, it's you."

"Yeah, says the guy responsible for saving the world."

"Well," he chuckled, "I had a little help."

Their hands subtly brushed against each other.

"I just want you to be happy, Sakura. That's all I've ever wanted."

"And I appreciate everything you've done for me. More than you know."

She rested her head on his shoulder.

"What we're doing is wrong."

"I know."

"We shouldn't do this anymore."

"I know."

"We're both married."

"I know."

"But I can't bring myself to want to stop."

He smiled, content.

"Neither can I."

The swinging of the back door against the wall startled them apart, and they sat unflinchingly rigid as Sarada bounded toward the kitchen. "I finished watering the plants. Can we finish the movie now?" She watched as her mother and the Hokage simply stared back at her, mouths agape, eyes still. "…Or are you still talking?" Sakura sputtered, "No, no! I, uh," staring again at Naruto for a cue. He broke his stare, and quickly stood up from the table, straightening out his clothes. "Y-Yes, I think we're finished." Sakura followed suit, and shot up from her chair. "Yes, okay, good. I'll see you out," she babbled, and nudge him toward the door. "Enjoy your movie, Sarada." She nodded her head in the Hokage's direction, and cleared out of her mother's frantic path as she carelessly walked him outside. Peeking past the door, she watched as the two of them affectionately embraced, and caught a glimpse Naruto's soft and thoughtful expression as he whispered in her mother's ear. They lingered for only a moment longer, and soon he disappeared down the now lit street. Her mother ambled back into the house looking more serene, in a way she had not looked in quite some time. Sakura beckoned her daughter back toward the couch, grinning from ear to ear. "Ready?" Moving hesitantly, Sarada took a place on the couch, and they resumed the movie. Despite being interested before, she could only now focus on one thing.

 _What did he say to her?_ Sarada thought. _What did he say?_


	5. Love Breeds Sacrifice

I wanted to apologize in advance for why this update took so long. I just began college, and the process of transitioning to school and moving took all my time. I hope to begin regularly updating again very soon. Thanks to all those still reading! xoxo

* * *

Sakura sat at the café table waiting patiently for her sensei. She hadn't seen much of him in some weeks now, and she was eager to check up on him and make sure that he was doing all right. Well into her thirties, Sakura thought of him more as her friend now rather than her sensei; there was an undeniable fondness between the two of them that persisted well beyond the bond of teacher and student. Though he was never able to give her a proportionate amount of attention between Naruto and Sasuke's explosive personalities, Tsunade had rounder her out nicely, and he always took the time to dote on Sakura's incredible spirit and strength. During his time as Hokage, Sakura would often visit him during the day when she had extra time to spare and help alleviate his workload by running his various errands, or taking on extraneous missions that needed immediate attention. Most of his time was now spent at the hot springs with Gai; the stress of war, being Hokage, all the while simultaneously leading one, if not the, most dysfunctional teams in all of Konoha had taken its toll on him. He preferred to remove himself from bustle of typical Shinobi life, and nestle in the warm, calming springs.

A mess of gray hair meandered through the door and triggered the small bell above the door. Her attention was quickly drawn to the entrance, and she happily shot up from her chair, cooing, "Kakashi-sensei!" and waving madly in his direction. It was impossible not to see her; Sakura always made it incredibly easy to spot her in crowd. She saw the creases of a light smile in his mask as he shuffled over toward her table. "Hello Sakura," he mumbled as she flung her arms around him. "Oh, Kakashi-sensei! I haven't seen you in so long! Sit, sit."

He calmly took his seat at the table. A steaming cup sat in front of him, and he inspected it curiously. "I hope you don't mind, I already ordered you some tea. It's lavender, it's good for you."

"Thank you. Are you still watching my health for me?"

Sakura smiled. "It is my job, isn't it? I am a medic after all."

They smiled as Kakashi reached for a sip of his tea, first discretely pulling his mask to the side to put the cup to his lips, then blowing on it lightly. Sakura gawked, "Unbelievable!" She swiveled her head in an attempt to peer at his bare face, but was unable to see anything other than the bunched fabric of his mask and his hand. Pushing it back over his nose, he sighed in satisfaction. "That's very good tea." He noticed Sakura playfully glaring at him. "What?"

"I can't believe that you still won't let me see your face!"

"I told you guys. I don't take off my mask."

"Do you wear your mask with Gai-sensei?"

"Gai? You think he's seen my face either?"

She rolled her eyes and half-laughed. "So where have you been these past few weeks?"

"Oh, Gai and I were just traveling to some of our old spots just outside of town. He's made a lot of progress with his rehabilitation, though he still needs his wheelchair more often than not."

"Well, that's still good to hear."

She listened to him briefly explain some of when a bushel of yellow hair behind him caught her attention. Slowly her eyes followed the figure bobbing behind her teacher. It even had the same stupid haircut. Jagged yellow spikes sticking straight up. _No way. That's not him. Is it?_ Without even noticing, she had tuned out the sound of his voice as she stretched inconspicuously in her chair, only to find that it was no one more than a perfect stranger. Kakashi's lowered pitch stirred her from her trance.

"Sakura?"

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I asked how things have been going with you."

"Oh, yes, things…are good. Yeah...they're good."

"Is everything okay, Sakura? You seem quite distracted."

"Oh, yes, everything's fine. I've just had a lot on my mind lately."

"Anything I can help with? I still know a thing or two about a thing or two."

Sakura let out a tired sigh. Regardless of whether she wanted to, she would have to tell Kakashi. If he didn't, he would just read her emotions and thoughts anyway. Lately he had also acquired quite the nose for news and gossip.

"Kakashi-sensei…have you ever loved someone, and I mean really loved someone…but known, deep in your heart, that you're just not right for each other?"

"You don't have to speak so vaguely with me, Sakura. There's only one person _you_ could be talking about."

She felt herself growing slightly embarrassed, worrying about whether or not she would regret having this conversation. Her finger absentmindedly stirred around the rim of her cup. She squirmed in her chair and diverted her attention away from him. Kakashi leaned closer over the table to give her a sense of security amongst the many people in the café.

"I just…I don't think Sasuke can, or ever will, love me the way I've loved him. And I don't know how much longer I can be his lapdog, patiently waiting for him to come around and show me some attention when it's convenient. And I can't take what it's doing to Sarada."

"They say love breeds sacrifice. To what extent…well, I can't really say."

"It just feels like I'm the only one making sacrifices."

"I'm sure he doesn't necessarily enjoy being away from you two for so long."

"But…why doesn't he write? Why doesn't he visit?"

Kakashi wasn't used to not having answers, and he uneasily stared at her. Sakura put her head in her hands in anguish and groaned loudly. She sat there for a minute, reveling in the darkness and enclosure of her cupped hands, before she shot up with a new, irritated tone. "You know he's never written us one letter? Not one. Not even on Sarada's birthday. Or mine. Or when she started at the academy. Or when she completed her first mission. He's missing out on so much! How can he be okay with it? It's not normal!"

"Have you mentioned this to Naruto?"

The mere mention of his name sent a quick shiver of chills up and down her spine. Her heart skipped a beat as she jerked straight up in her chair. Flashbacks of herself confessing on the park bench, writhing on his desk, crying on him in her kitchen crept into her brain. It was as if suddenly the entire café could read her mind, and everyone knew of her horrible secret. Her eyes darted from person to person for affirmation that indeed no one was looking at her with disapproving eyes. "N-Naruto?"

"Yes, Naruto. He writes to Naruto with updates, doesn't he?"

"U-Uh… yeah, yeah. He does."

"Hmm. He'd be hard-pressed to find someone else who could accurately track this threat without a sharingan."

"I know. And I know Sasuke willing volunteered. I know."

"It doesn't make it any less painful, does it?"

"No…no, it doesn't."

He watched her disappointedly drag her pointer finger in little patterns across the table. She let out a heavy sigh, her eyes flush with dissatisfaction. Despite everything, even his various attempts to kill her, she never stopped wanting to bring him home. He felt a pang of sadness, both because of Sakura's apparent depression, and because there was nothing he could to alleviate it. She had spent her whole life waiting for Sasuke. And here she was again. Waiting.

"But it's not as bad for me as it is for Sarada."

"I haven't seen her in quite a while."

"She's okay lately. But she asks me about him constantly. I know how much it's hurting her, never having her father around when all her friends are constantly with theirs. It's not enough for me to be there for her. He should be there too."

"It _is_ difficult not having a father around as a child."

"Oh gosh, I'm sorry Kakashi-sensei, I—"

"It's all right, Sakura," he muttered, nonchalantly waving his hand, "I know what you meant. Sarada is probably feeling that way as well."

"Maybe that's why she likes Naruto so much."

"Naruto?"

"Yeah. Whenever he comes to visit, he's always asking her all about herself and doting on her, giving her praise and whatnot. She's so eager to impress him. I think she looks up to him like a father-figure. Like, the attention she gets from Naruto makes up for what she doesn't get from Sasuke."

"Guess you can't say the same about Boruto, eh?"

They both shared a small laugh.

"Even though he's busy, he still tries his hardest to make time for his children."

"I guess this wouldn't be a problem if only you and Naruto had somehow ended up together."

"…Yeah," she nervously chuckled to herself. "…If only."

Kakashi observed the shift in her tone. Though he had only meant it jokingly, it was evident that Sakura had spent some time reflecting on this very thought in all seriousness. She would never admit it, as she was always so prideful, but Kakashi understood. Her marriage had taken all from her that she had left, and the stress was beginning to get to her. Downtrodden, she gazed into the ripples of her tea. She sat unblinkingly still, her eyelids heavy, lost in her thoughts. Her thumb tapped lightly against the handle of her cup.

"Love is a fickle thing, Sakura."

"Mm-hmm."

They casually sipped tea before returning to lighter conversation.


	6. Just a Rough Patch

Naruto sat at his desk, staring absent-mindedly at the door. A large stack of paperwork sat to the left of him, begging for various stamps and signatures of approval. Every couple of minutes, his computer would let out a small _ding,_ notifying him of another email yet to be read. He continued to stare at the door when Shikamaru stepped hastily inside.

"Naruto, have you read over that treaty from the Land of Tea?"

"Hello, Shikamaru. How are you this afternoon?"

"I'll take that as a 'no', then."

"You would be correct."

Shikamaru let out an irritated sigh. For the past couple of weeks he noticed he had an increasingly difficult time motivating Naruto to do his work. Not as if Naruto had a whole lot of motivation to begin with. "Naruto, I know this isn't exactly exciting, but you're the Hokage. Like it or not, this is the job, and as your advisor—"

"Shikamaru, can I talk to you?"

"About the treaty? Because it's pretty simple, you—"

"Not as an advisor, but as a friend."

He let out a bated chuckle. "So, we're friends now?"

"I'm serious."

Shikamaru sighed and expectantly muttered, "What a drag," under his breath as he plopped down on the edge of his desk. The last thing he needed was Naruto's personal problems looming in the air in addition to his work. "What is it?"

"I'm having a bit of a dilemma."

"Of what nature?"

"You're probably not going to like this."

"Naruto, it's you. How bad can it possibly be?"

Naruto leaned back in his chair, folding his hands in his lap. Squinting an eye in thought as he bounced his legs, he briefly doubted whether or not to continue with the conversation; he hadn't thought that hard on whether or not it truly was a good idea to include even his closest confidant in such a sensitive matter. But he'd already begun. No turning back now. He was pulled out of his thought by Shikamaru barking, "Well, out with it. I don't have all day, y'know." Naruto sighed reluctantly. "I think I want to ask Hinata for a divorce." Shikamaru groaned, muttering, "Oh god," under his breath, pinching the bridge of his nose. Of all the things! Knowing Naruto, he hoped it would be something insignificant and found he would have no such luck. "Why?"

"I just don't think Hinata and I are right for each other. We're just so…different."

"You're figuring this out now?"

"Well, I mean I've always known we were different. In the beginning it was kind of cute the way she would stammer and blush and go along with what I wanted. But now…" Naruto stopped for a moment, resting his chin in his hand. As he looked out the window, he thought of all the years he's spent with Hinata. Although relatively stable yet uneventful, they were filled with a sort of calm nostalgia. It shocked him to think how long his feelings laid dormant; he had been, or thought he had been, happy with Hinata for years, as her serene presence and motherly nurturing helped to smooth the more boisterous parts of his personality. He exhaled heavily before returning to his thought.

"Now it's just tiring. It's almost as if she just…projects what she thinks I want her to be. I never know whether she's really happy, not like she would tell me if she wasn't. As stupid as it sounds, I almost wish she would disagree with me just for the sake of fighting."

"That's who she is, Naruto. That's who she's always been. You can't change her."

"I know that. I don't want to change her."

"Everyone wanted you two together, so what's the problem now?"

"I think that's the thing, Shikamaru!" Naruto groaned, exasperated. "Everyone _else_ wanted us together."

Shikamaru continued to stare at him, dead-eyed with exhaustion, and offering none of the hopeful and supportive advice Naruto had deluded himself into thinking he would give him. "Hinata is incredibly kind, and I've always liked her…but we're not right for each other. I think somewhere deep down in my heart I've known that, but…I've been so damn caught up in my feelings. I don't know." Naruto dropped his head from his hands onto his desk with a loud thud, causing the lighter contents of his desk to shake in their place. Arms sprawled haphazardly across his neck, he let out a pained moan. Shikamaru looked on disapprovingly. It was evident that this wouldn't resolve itself, no matter how much he wanted it to. He was never one for confrontation; it was too much effort. Naruto wasn't usually the one to lack the confidence needed to make difficult decisions. But divorce was a whole other matter. He shifted on the edge of the desk and sighed.

"If I were you, I wouldn't do it."

Without lifting his head Naruto lazily waved his hand as he muttered into the desk. "I've really thought this through Shikamaru, and I really don't know if I can—"

"Look, Naruto," Shikamaru growled. "Do you think I always love Temari?"

"…Do you _not_?"

"Of course I don't."

"Wha…Then what's the purpose of even being married?!"

"Because love isn't always immediate, Naruto. Temari is brash and naggy and scary with a hell of a temper. But we come down from that. I realize I love her. I realize it's just a rough patch. And I realize she can also be gentle and loving and kind. That's all this is. Just a rough patch."

Naruto anxiously tapped his fingers against the desk, staring absentmindedly past Shikamaru. His mind focused relentlessly on that string of words— _just a rough patch_ —until the sounds blended together and lost their meaning, muddled into one droning, jumbled mess. He looked up to his friend with tired, uncertain eyes.

"Don't ask Hinata for a divorce."

Maybe he was right. Maybe it was just a rough patch. Maybe he did really love her. But the nervousness in his heart pounded too loud to ignore. If he ignored it for this long, could he not just continue to do so? After all they were a picturesque family: beautiful couple, beautiful house, beautiful children. It would be a shame to throw that away on a whim.

"Plus, I don't think it would go over too well with the council. You're the Hokage, for heaven's sake. How well do you think the village would respond if their role model suddenly and without warning divorced his wife? With whom he has two small children, mind you."

Shikamaru looked on as Naruto looked almost disappointed at his advice.

"I don't want to reconcile with being miserable, Shikamaru,"

"It's just a rough patch. That's all it is."

The two men sat together quietly, each waiting for the other to say something. It took Shikamaru sliding off the edge of the desk and smoothing the creases in his clothes. Each step of his feet reverberated in the office as he made his way to the door, resting his hand on the knob as he looked lazily over his shoulder.

"Now, I don't want to discuss this anymore. I'm going to go grab lunch. When I come back in an hour that treaty had better be read and signed."

Naruto nodded in acknowledgment as Shikamaru exited through the door. Encapsulated by the lonely silence of his office, he pulled himself up straight at his desk as her searched for the treaty. It had taken him days to read more than a paragraph of provisions, but now as his mind raced, he was unable to absorb the gist of even one sentence. Though he read and re-read, his brain refused to process anything else in an attempt to dull his confusion. _Just a rough patch. Just a rough patch. Just a rough patch._


	7. A Sneaking Suspicion

Walking aimlessly through the bright and colorful aisles of boxed and canned goods, Sakura listlessly hung to the basket in her hand. All night she had been tossing in her bed unable to sleep. She hadn't spoken to Naruto in days, not a word, and was beginning to suspect he was purposefully ignoring her. Though not entirely surprised, it still hurt immensely to have him, of all people, ignore her. It was hardly noon and she already had trouble keeping her dulled eyes open long enough to scan the boxes of cereal on the shelf. Every patch of color blended together, all the same blurry mix of reds and yellows and blues as she racked her brain to remember which one was Sarada's favorite; she ate it every day—how could she forget? Every morning she grabbed it from upon the fridge and set it on the table alongside a bowl and spoon. It was the first thing she did in the morning, even before brushing her teeth or combing her hair. She always set out the cereal for Sarada. Today she simply couldn't remember.

Frustrated, she latched a hand onto the shelf and laid her head to rest, groaning as she shut her eyes. She rested there for only a moment as she felt her exhaustion take a powerful hold over her. Three bony fingers lined up and down her back, shocking her awake, as she swiftly turned to face whoever touched her. With only feigned surprise, she let out a warm moan of, "Hello, Ino." Her friend devilishly smiled with a hand on her hip. "Hey, Forehead! Sleeping in the market now, huh?" Sakura playfully rolled her eyes as their footsteps fell in sync down the rest of the aisle. "I was just resting my eyes."

"Resting your eyes?" Ino let out a small snort as she plucked a box of sweets from the right of her. "You not sleeping well lately?"

"No, I'm…I'm fine. Just last night. I've had a lot on my mind."

"Like what?"

"You know. The usual, I guess."

"Well, I've got something to cheer you up then."

"What is it?"

"I'm having a small get together tonight to celebrate Naruto's first year as Hokage."

Sakura's ears perked up at the mention of his name, and she quickly turned to face her friend.

"I mean, really it was Sai's idea, but—"

"Has it really been a year already?"

"Pretty incredible, huh? The knucklehead's actually been doing a pretty decent job."

Sakura felt her selective hearing kick in as Ino's voice faded; she heard the knock of her heels against the floor, the ruffling of boxes in the basket, the wind of people walking past each other. _There's no way it's already been a year…that's just…so strange._ A pair of fingers snapped in front of her, startling her out of her thoughts. "You're not falling asleep on me again, are you?"

"No, no, I'm fine," Sakura mutter, pushing Ino's hand from her face.

"Good. Well, I gotta get going, I have a lot of shopping to do. But make sure to come tonight!" With a dainty dash, Ino disappeared around the corner of the aisle, before comically popping back in. "Oh, I forgot, bring Sarada, too! All the kids are going to be there as well."

…

Naruto quickly opened the sliding door and stepped out onto the wooden patio. Rubbing his temples, he let out a forlorn sigh. Though surrounded by his closest friends, and after being bombarded with congratulatory speech after speech, he found himself incredibly overwhelmed and his sole desire was to be alone for a moment with himself. Having suspected nothing less than a doting green thumb from Ino, the entire yard was flooded with flowers of every kind. Fragrant petals littered the lawn and they filled him with a sense of calm. At least, before he spotted a small bob of pink hair in a modest black dress slumped over in the garden's lawn chair. He carefully called out, knowing it could only be one person. "Sakura?"

Startled at the noise, she jolted as she turned her head to face the voice. The garden lanterns lit up her eyes, and a soft golden light washed over her. "Naruto?" Both separated by a couple of yards, they continued to stare at each other before Sakura, confused, began the conversation. "Wh…why aren't you inside? It is your party, after all."

"Yeah," he chuckled nervously. "I just needed a minute. It's pretty busy in there."

She smiled at him softly holding her hands between her legs. But all he could do was stare dumbly at her. It was still strange being surrounded by everyone they knew as his secret loomed in the air between them like a thick fog. "What are you doing out here?"

Sakura lightly moaned as she turned back to face the vines and flowers. "I just wanted some fresh air." Naruto continued to watch her. She mindlessly fiddled with the ring on her left hand, turning it left and right, sliding it up and down her finger, but never taking it completely off. "I hope you didn't come out here to avoid seeing me."

"Sakura, I haven't been avoiding you."

She lazily threw her head back over her shoulder, eyes lidded with skepticism and sarcasm written into her smile. He nervously rubbed the back of his neck as he avoided her gaze. "Well, I haven't been doing it on purpose."

She waved her hand nonchalantly. "No, it's okay. I know you haven't. I understand." In the light she looked more fragile than usual; it was almost as like if the wind blew just right she might turn to dust and fly away.

"It's weird to think you've already been Hokage for a year now, isn't it?"

Naruto scuffed his feet into the patio, looking down as he rested his hands in his pockets. "Yeah…Yeah, it really is. Sometimes I wish I could go back to before."

"This is what you wanted, isn't it? I mean, this is your dream."

"Yeah, I know. I love it, I do. It's just life was a littler simpler before. I thought I knew what all I wanted."

"Is that why you don't want to be here? Why you're out here with me instead?"

He let out a small laugh. "Heh, yeah. A little."

They paused and took a moment away just to breathe. She continued to fiddle with the ring as he stood dejected on the patio.

"That, and I've had the worst migraine all day." Hearing this, Sakura quietly twisted her back to face him. Her eyes had wilted from before. "Come here," Sakura gestured softly. "Let me help." Naruto sighed as he wandered through the grass toward her, and gently eased himself onto the grass between her legs. His back was pressed up against the edge of the chair, and for the first time today, he released the tension from his muscles "Is there really anything you can do?"

Sakura smirked to herself. "Of course there is. Just relax."

Wisps of his hair loosely wrapped around her delicate fingers and she gently massaged his scalp.

"I would understand if you didn't want to do this anymore," she muttered. She softly stroked his hair back as she gingerly held his head in her hands. "I know you probably feel guilty. You and your word, and all."

"I just…" His voice trailed off as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm just not happy, Sakura. But I should be." She continued to attentively listen as she massaged his head.

"I have a loving wife, I have two healthy, beautiful children, my dream job…but I'm miserable." The pulsating of the veins in his temple was a strong indication of his stress. His hair brushed between her nimble fingers as she lowered just below his ears. She felt him disturb her hands as she spun around to face her. "But I'm happy when I'm with you." The two of them looked to each other with sad smiles; years and years of wasted time lingered between them.

"Mama?"

They quickly jerked around, and found Sarada standing curiously in the middle of the garden. "What are you two doing out here?"

Sakura quickly found her voice and turned herself completely around to face her daughter. "We were just getting a little fresh air, is all." She smiled widely at Sarada to placate her. "Are you having fun with the other kids?" Sarada nodded her head up and down, but she was incredibly inexpressive; her black eyes were fixated on her mother's hand still on top of Naruto's hand. Sakura, having quickly noticed this, clandestinely lifted her hand into the air. "Oh, and Nar—I mean, the Seventh had a headache, so I was helping him get rid of it."

"Oh. Okay."

Naruto, trying to look as friendly as possible, found himself staring uncomfortably outward in an attempt be as inconspicuous as he could. Sakura warmly suggested, "Sweetie, why don't you go back inside? It's a little chilly out here, I wouldn't want you to catch a cold." Sarada stood there, loosely holding her hands out in front of her. Her eyes followed her mother, then Naruto, and back to her mother before she meekly mumbled, "Okay." She stole one final glance over her shoulder as she trudged back to the house, and through the sliding door inside.

The both of them breathed a sigh of relief before they returned to their previous positions. "Maybe it was just me, but was Sarada acting a little…strange, to you?"

"Something seemed a bit off," Sakura nodded, "I think that maybe she was tired, or wanting to go home. These atmospheres can be a little overwhelming for her."

"Not one for lots of people and lots of noise, is she?"

"No, not really."

"I'll probably take her home in about twenty minutes or so. It is kind of late anyway."

"Well, let's just stay here for a while then."

Sakura smiled. "I'd like that."

She shut her eyes, running her fingers daintily through his hair, parting and smoothing it every which way. Her thumbs circulated the back of his head, and he withdrew to back against the end of the chair, comfortably resting between her legs.

"Oh, and please don't ever call me 'The Seventh' again."

"Trust me, it was just as weird for me as it was for you."

…

Twirling the handle of the blinds in her fingers, Sarada discretely watched her mother through the window. She watched her mother's hands move softly and diligently through his hair. Every couple of minutes they would snicker and bend their heads toward each other, smiling widely. But there was a lightness to her eyes that Sarada had not seen in some time. The thin smell of sake lingered in the air, and despite being surrounded by people, no one else seemed to notice them. She thought of not that long ago, the way he embraced her mother and held her, gently whispering in her ear. In the pit of her stomach, she had a sneaking suspicion that something was very, very wrong.


	8. A Perfect Day for Spying

Half of Sarada's tiny little body sat slumped over the edge of her bed. Her glasses barely clung to her ears and were bound to fall to the floor any moment, riding high up her nose and nearly resting on her forehead, as her silky, tangled hair lay coiled on a pile beneath her. She had spent all of the night before rummaging around hopelessly underneath her sheets without a moment's rest. Eventually, she wound up passing from pure exhaustion. A sudden hurried knock on her door alarmingly stirred her from her sleep, and in a panic, unable to process her thoughts, she promptly flopped to the floor. As the door creaked open only an inch, she caught a glimpse of her mother standing outside, clutching the opening of her robe shut. Sakura quickly peered inside and found her daughter sprawled on the floor. "Sarada, are you awake?"

"Y-Yes, mama. I'm awake."

Arching her brows in curiosity, but too tired to begin questioning her daughter this early, simply nodded and turned away. "Okay, well I'm not going to ask you again. You need to get up and get ready for school or you're going to be late." Watching her leave through the crack, she breathed a despondent sigh before twisting herself upright and rising from the floor.

She trudged from the bathroom with uncombed hair and mismatched socks into the kitchen, and found her mother patiently waiting for her at the table. She rose from her morning cup of tea and grabbed Sarada's bookbag and lunch from the side of the table and held them out in front of her to take. "Better get going soon." As she took the bags in each of her hands, Sakura delicately ran her fingers through Sarada's hair and lovingly planted a kiss on her forehead. "Off you go now." As she turned around, Sakura gave her a light pat on the back as she made her way toward the front door, taking the knob in her hand and reluctantly opening the door. Before she stepped outside, she threw her head over her shoulder and took one last glance at her mother. "Have a good day at school," Sakura cooed, giving her a gentle wave. She flashed her a smile as she stepped out the door and started walking.

Sarada began to make her way to school. The brisk morning air helped to shake away her sleep as she hadn't gotten much of it the night before; all she could think about was the way her mother laughed and smiled the night before with…him. It was strange; she no longer could bear to call him simply "Uncle Naruto"; after all, he wasn't actually her uncle, but it was what she had always called him. His face was ever present in her home when she was young that he practically became the only other family she had. But calling him "The Seventh" also felt strange now. In the past year, Sarada had absorbed the habits of both her teachers and authorities who referred to him as "The Seventh" like he was merely some mythological figure, and had begun to call him that as a formality. After all, he was the Hokage. His presence commanded respect. But she could never shake the memories of him holding her as a baby, surprising her with a shower of gifts on her birthday, babysitting her when her mother was tired or sick. One particular memory that she was fond of was when she was seven and her mother had to leave overnight one weekend for work. Though she was nervous to be without her, Sarada felt just as safe with Naruto. That weekend, he let her stay up all night eating sweets and watching late-night cartoons; she even got to go to bed without brushing her teeth, so long as she didn't tell her mother. There was nothing especially out of the ordinary about her mother's affection for him, their loving closeness and concern for each other. _But_ , Sarada thought, _It feels…different now. There's something else to it._ After letting out a final yawn as she approached the academy, she straightened her back and narrowed her eyes. _I have to know what it is._

Sarada slumped in her desk with her chin tucked into her hand. Frantically tapping her pencil, she was unable to concentrate on her work in anyway. At the front of the room Shino rambled on about substitutions and clones and the like, but this was of no interest to her. Just outside the window she watched the wind sway the leaves and twirl on the ground outside. As quickly as they touched the ground, the breeze suddenly yet gently swept them from the grass and out of her view. They reminded her of her father; gone as quickly as he came, and always just out of her sight. Giving herself a quick shake, she forced herself to focus and continue on her school work.

Sarada quickly sprinted down the hallway to catch Boruto just as he was about to exit through the door. Startled by the strength of her hand landing on his shoulder, he quickly turned on his heel to face her. "Sarada? What're you—"

"Boruto, I need to talk to you."

Relaxing at once he knew it was her, he slowly glanced from side to side in confusion. "Talk to me? About what?" Not wanting to disclose such private details where anyone could hear, Sarada quickly rushed him outside the door in the opposite direction of the crowd of children.

"Have you noticed anything…strange about our parents?"

"Strange? Like how?"

"Well, I don't know…haven't you noticed they've been rather close lately?"

"I mean, I guess?" Boruto shrugged as he walked just a tad faster. "But they're just friends like anyone else."

Sarada sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. She tried to make the point without being so obvious, but it was just like Boruto to be willfully obtuse.

"That's not exactly what I mean. Haven't you been watching them lately?"

"Watching who, now?"

The two of them froze in their steps and spun around to look behind them. Gleefully smacking on a bag of lightly-salted potato chips, Chouchou obliviously stared back and forth between Boruto and Sarada, who again pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation. "Not now, Chouchou, this doesn't really concern you."

"Aw c'mon! I can keep a secret, honest!"

Boruto pouted condescendingly. "I don't even know what the secret is."

"Dammit, you idiot, I think our parents are having an affair!"

Immediately after her outburst, she slapped her hands over her mouth and stood silent in shock. Chouchou awkwardly finished chewing on the chip she held in her mouth as she gaped wide-eyed at Boruto, who looked to the ground with a furrowed brow as he processed her words. Suddenly his face contorted into a smile and he let out a deep laugh. "Oh Sarada, you really know how to make me laugh, don'tcha?"

Sarada could feel her cheeks flush, filled with embarrassment and anger at his dismissiveness, and she tightly balled her fists. "It's not crazy to think, you know!"

"Look, my dad can be kind of a bastard, but I don't think he'd cheat on my mom. They love each other."

"I'm not saying they don't, but haven't you noticed their behavior lately?"

Chouchou stepped between them and held her hands out in front of both of them, her chip bag sticking out of her back pocket as she munched on her last chip. "There's only one way to find out," Chouchou mumbled as she swallowed her crumbs. The two of them attentively awaited her answer as she took her time to munch. With a hard swallow, she gravely whispered, "We need to spy."

"Spy?" they chided in unison.

"Spy!" Chouchou proudly exclaimed.

"Why?"

"Well, you can't exactly just come out and ask them, can you?"

Boruto and Sarada looked to each other, and back to Chouchou. She expectantly waited for them to gushingly approve of her idea. Sarada mulled it over in her head, but looked to Boruto for his answer. Though he was never at all inclined to believe her to begin with, the seeds of suspicion had been planted, and he needed to have confirmation of what he knew to be true.

"Okay," he sighed turning to Chouchou, "I guess we're going to be spying then."

"We? Wait, what do you mean 'we'?" Sarada asked.

Chouchou emphatically splayed her hand on her chest, fluttering her eyelashes while feigning shock. "It was my idea, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, but—"

Boruto waved his hand. "Ah, let's let her come. If we're going to do this, it can't hurt to have fresh eyes, eh?"

Sarada impatiently tapped her foot. She could tell Boruto had no interest in actually finding out the truth, and merely wanted to take pleasure in proving her wrong. Chouchou, though she was her closest friend, it felt strange to involve her in this family matter. But there were no better ideas to be had once she realized the two of them looking at her. "Okay, I guess. Us three. And that's it."

"Okay then," Chouchou beamed, clapping her hands together in front of her. "Let the spying begin!"

…

"You called?"

"Yeah, I need your help."

Sakura stepped from behind the door and breezed into his office, and she pleasantly sauntered toward his desk with her hands on her hips. "Well, with what?" Naruto sighed as she leaned over on top of his desk. "These, well…these documents." She wistfully pulled them toward her with her finger, and quickly scanned it over. In a matter of seconds, her face warped into playful confusion, and she looked up to Naruto. "You need help…with _this_?" Avoiding her gaze, her scratched at the side of his face, feeling flustered. "..Yes?"

"These are just basic percentages and mark-ups. Can you really not do them?"

"This is why I called you! I knew you would be able to do them."

She let out a small giggle. "So you're the Hokage, but you can't do basic math?"

He laughed while burying his head in his hands. "I never claimed to be a mathematician." Sakura rolled her eyes as she reached for a pen. "All right…let me help you. Pay attention."

"Okay."

…

Shielded by the thick branches and shrouds of leaves, Sarada watched the two of them through the window yet again. "Chouchou, Boruto…look, look, look!" She flagrantly flared her free arm out to grab their attention, but found nothing. She turned her head to find Boruto curled up in the curve of a branch with his tiny chin tucked into his chest, and Chouchou digging at a hangnail. Sarada loudly groaned. Reaching for the nearest object, she plucked a sparse stick and aggressively flung it at Boruto as she screeched, "Wake up, you idiot!" Startled awake, he nearly fell out of the tree, and in a panic he quickly he latched onto a branch just above him. He took in a deep breath to calm himself before muttering, "What the hell's the matter with you?!" under his breath.

"You guys aren't even paying attention! And look!"

Amused by Sarada's paranoia, the two of them crawled through the tree toward her vantage point. "What do you see?"

…

"…And after you multiply it by the percentage as a decimal, that's how much you're left with."

Quickly scrabbling out the final equations, she carefully scanned her work to make sure she was correct, smiling to herself with satisfaction. Her opportunities to flex her intellectual know-how were too few these days, and she reveled in being able to prove how smart she was. Even if it was only to Naruto. "Do you understand?" She waited for him to respond, but after waiting for more than a few seconds, she tilted her head to face him. "Naruto?" He leaned to one side in his chair, resting his chin prominently on his fist. No longer able to pay attention to the math, he stared longingly at her. "You're so smart, Sakura."

"Do you understand?"

"No. But that's okay."

They smiled happily at each other.

…

She discretely pointed in the direction of the window. With bated breath she watched the two of them squint and turn their heads, neither of them responding in the way that she hoped for. "Uh, Sarada?" Chouchou asked.

"Yeah?"

"What's uh…what's the, um—"

"What she's trying to say," Boruto interrupted, "is that you're losing it, Sarada."

Seeing her nose scrunch into a glare, he coolly explained. "Look, they're just talking. It looks like she's helping him with something. That's it." He twisted his body as he maneuvered from his spot and grunted as he looked for a branch to help him trapeze down the tree. "Where are you going?" Sarada loudly hushed. Hugging tightly to the trunk, Boruto looked back up. "Shikadai and Inojin are going to Ichiraku's, and I'm hungry so I'm going."

"Ooh, they are?" Chouchou smiled, arching her head to see him.

"Yeah, they are."

Quickly, Chouchou crawled over Sarada to the same spot where Boruto had climbed down. Sarada incredulously scoffed, desperately flailing her arms outward. "Chouchou! You too?"

"Sorry Sarada, I just don't think there's anything there. Plus," she trailed off, digging in her pocket, as she pulled out two small pieces of paper. "I have coupons!"

Sarada sighed, looking at both of them awkwardly smiling back at her before she turned and scowled, "Fine. Go. I'm just…going to stay here awhile."

Boruto and Chouchou shared concerned glances for only a moment, and opted to let her be.

"Okay. But we'll be there a while, so you should come if you feel like it."

They waited patiently for her to give an answer, though Sarada said nothing. They shrugged it off and continued to climb down, touching ground and quickly dashing off. Sarada watched them pass out of her sight. "Idiots," she muttered under her breath, and diverted her attention back to her mother and Naruto.

She gazed at them closely, her fiery eyes scanning every movement between the two of them in his office. Even though she was unable to hear what they were talking about, it was the little details that truly caught her eye. The way her mother leaned on his desk. Naruto's hand laying ever so slightly on top of hers. There was a softness to her mother's eyes that she hadn't seen in some time; it was brief that she could observe her mother in moments of unbridled peace. It wasn't too often her mother wasn't frantically stressed about her work, or their finances, or Sarada herself. But she was never this gentle or tender when she spoke of her father. Lately it seemed as if the only time her eyes glimmered, or her cheeks flushed, or she smiled brilliantly was when they were together. Sarada's stomach somersaulted in fear.


End file.
